Showing posts with label Kitchen. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Kitchen. Show all posts

9/21/2024

EYmann Jar, Bottle and Can Opener

The product I got doesn't look like stainless steel but more like a chrome-like metal product. Definitely not the refined product you see in the product page pictures. It opens beer bottles well.  It also opens jars, but you have to be careful not to put your finger under the black slider. I have tried it with cans, and I find it unnecessary unless you have some problem with your fingers or not enough strength. In all honesty, it takes me less effort open a jar or a can with my own hands. I needed it mostly for beer can opener than anything but the price is low so the other features might come handy in the future.

8/18/2024

Generic Bottle & Can Opener (5.8x2.1cm)

II grew up with this kind of can opener, and having used anything that has come out in the market, this is still my preferred type of can opener as it occupies no space in my kitchen drawers and it's easy to operate.  It is two for one, as one edge is he can opener and the other is a bottle opener.

I didn't notice the dimensions when I ordered the item, so I was disappointed when I got the product and noticed that it is too small for my small hands. It looks like made for children or as a pocket tool. Easy to carry for camping, excursions, travelling and general use at home. Average metal, not stainless steel, but I was not expecting this for the price. It would have been great if it was a bit larger. 

2/24/2024

Akulife 2-Piece Silicone Air Fryer Liners

These liners are well priced and good quality. I have a 3-litre fryer and these are a little bit larger for that size (see my photos), but they fit well as they're flexible. They heat up considerably, so be careful when getting them out of the fryer basket if still hot. They retain a lot of oil that doesn't go into the fryer, preventing bad odours and the metal becoming sticky as well. They wash well by hand with dishwashing liquid; however, even if I wash them well, once dry, there is a sort of white residue on the reticulated maze base that I have to remove manually with a towel. I have used my fryer without the liners, and now with them, and I think they improve the cleanliness, odour and life of my fryer.  

These liners are well priced and good quality. I have a 3-litre fryer and these are a little bit larger for that size (see my photos), but they fit well as they're flexible. They heat up considerably, so be careful when getting them out of the fryer basket if still hot. They retain a lot of oil that doesn't go into the fryer, preventing bad odours and the metal becoming sticky as well. They wash well by hand with dishwashing liquid; however, even if I wash them well, once dry, there is a sort of white residue on the reticulated maze base that I have to remove manually with a towel. I have used my fryer without the liners, and now with them, and I think they improve the cleanliness, odour and life of my fryer.

Update 4/10/24
I use this almost every day. They get greasy and over time they get stained with the grease and this does not go no matter how much I rub them. They are clean but look super dirty because of the grease stains.  For the rest, they save my fryer from the grease and are indispensable.

1/02/2024

Primula Stovetop Coffee Maker

This is a classic stove coffee percolator with capacity to make 12 espresso cups, which is always double for normal milky coffee (six mugs) as I put two shots in one mug. I have smaller moka pots, but I wanted one that would allow me to fill in my work Thermos in one go without having to prepare two pots, and this is perfect for that.
 
The pot is as simple as it gets, no design fuss. Yet it does the job and cost me half of what I would have paid for any other brand. If you have never used one of this, you'll find step-by-step guidance on the packaging box and in the instruction leaflet (see my photos).
 
I thought that the handle is too small or weak to carry the weight of such a heavy pot, but I found it to be quite OK despite its appearance.
 
I use the pot on a small electric camping stove as my kitchen range has very large burners and I don't think the handle would withstand so much heat. Too many reviewers have mentioned that. However, on this camping stove, as per my photo, it is perfect. It takes a while to heat up, but it does the job.
 
Pouring is clean and easy, something I love as this is one of the most common flaws in other coffee pots I own. This pot allows perfect clean pouring with natural hand tilting.

It washes well with little effort.

DOWNSIDES
-- The inner steam spout spits coffee out if I lift the lid, and it spills out. So the outing is not really smooth and continuous.
-- Although made of traditional aluminum, it is quite light and the metal feels weak and cheap. The filter perforated base clunks a bit, as that's because the filter is not made in one piece, and, to me, that's a recipe for further disaster.
-- I haven't used this on a large cook-top burner because it would melt the handle. Too many reviews on that for me to ignore. It is also the first impression I got when I opened the box. Like, I checked the reviews afterwards and found that to be the case.  

IN SHORT
A family-sized moka pot, basic in design but does the job if you have a small cook-top burner (gas or electric) at a great price. I will update this review in the future, if necessary. 

8/07/2023

Drano Kitchen Max Gel Drain Cleaner 770mL

I've used this product in several occasions as my kitchen sink has old pipes and a slow drain and, when I run the water continuously, the sink cannot cope and the water pools and bubbles up. I've  tried other products in the past and I barely got any result. I've used this and the slow drainage stops. Half of the bottle is what I need and what the package recommends to use. However, unlike the instructions on the package, I leave the product in for at least an hour, not the 15-30 minutes recommended as I did this in the past and didn't work as well. I got the bottle today, I used upon arrival, and my sink drains normally. 

7/26/2023

English Tea Shop Gift Pack Your Wellness Collection Light Blue 36 Sachets, 54 g

I'll be honest, I bought this tea pack because I love the tin box and I wanted to add it to my collection of ETS tins at home. The illustrations and overall quality of the tin are just beautiful and I use this one to store craft materials. It's not just that I wanted to have the tin, I knew beforehand that I would get good-quality organic herbal-blend tisane teas. The varieties in this pack didn't disappoint me. They are beautiful light enjoyable clean teas with no caffeine, so I drink them in the evening without a worry; now that's Winter I drink these teas instead of water as they are hot, healthy and taste good. The labeling information on the tin and the way it's displayed are excellent, something I don't take for granted. 

Vegeta Chicken Stock Powder 200 gms

This is a staple in my kitchen pantry. There are many reasons for it. The first is that this is large good-value jar with plenty of product in it. The second is that the flavor is good so it lifts all the dishes I add it to; it has a good amount of salt (even if the jar says 'reduced') so I don't add salt to my dishes if I'm using this stock powder. The third is that, as it is powder, not cubes, I can add the right amount of product without wasting anything.  Fourth, the inner foil-lining keeps the product fresh and aromatic for a long time and the jar lasts me for months. Fifth and last, it has no MSG.
 
DOWNSIDES
Barely any chicken in it (1%). It's mostly veggies, spices, fats and oils, as per the list of ingredients on the jar back. Also it is sold as 'no added flavours' but the list of ingredients shows 'flavour (chicken)' so what does this mean?
 
It tends to solidify after using a wet spoon or after a long time of no use, but the 'caking' is easily broken down with a fork.
 
The jar small lettering is barely legible due to the lack of contrast between the lettering and the yellow background so I use a magnifying glass to read anything written in it.
 
MIND
I don't use to drink it, just as a cooking condiment, so I cannot comment on the taste as a drinkable broth.

7/09/2023

G-Fresh G-Fresh Himalayan Pink Salt, 100 g

This is a good Himalayan pink salt, in a  good-quality plastic grinder at a great price. My only 'but' is not the salt per se, which is good, but the container cap. The grinder cap cannot be unscrewed, something I wanted to empty out one of the jars I bought; however, I had to cut the container jar body with a sharp knife for me able to do so. For the rest, very happy with the product quality and price.

Heaven Dragon Oolong Tea, 100 Tea Bags

I love this Oolong tea brand. I have been using it for months and is one of my fav morning teas or when I want something that is not too heavy on my stomach. It is full of flavor but not strong at all. I tend to add a drop of skim milk and it is perfect. This 100-bag package has an amazing price, too.

6/08/2023

Glad to be Green Compostable Bake & Cooking Paper, 15 Metres

This is a good quality baking paper. I use it mostly as a mat on my craft table to protect the table and also to apply my acrylic paints directly on without worrying it would go on to the table. This is so because the paper has a glossy side that seems to be waterproof. I also use it as a mat inside my microwave so that it protects its floor from spills and drops from the food I reheat or defrost there. It is very versatile. Ironically, I don't use baking paper for paper so I cannot comment on the use in the oven. The cutter is good and the sheets are cut out simply and neatly. The main downside of the roll is the width of the paper, which I'd like it to be larger. Also, the fact that is compostable makes it weaker and I prefer the average parchment paper for my microwave as this compostable version gets damaged quicker and doesn't withstand as much oil or liquid as the other. For the rest if fits the purpose.

10/23/2022

Olive Oil Sprayer for Cooking

This oil spray bottle looks stylish and expensive and, beforehand, this was what I was looking for. The glass bottle is good quality but has a very small mouth, so I had to use a tiny funnel to fill it in. The top part. which is the pump and spray, looks metallic but it's actually good-looking cheap plastic, and badly assembled. I put rice bran oil in it, which is lighter than other oils, and the pump would not pump it up or spray. The top seemed a bit loose, so I tried to move it in different ways to see if it would work but without any luck. Besides, The photo of the bottle on the container box doesn't match what I received as the middle 'neck' is missing, so I wonder whether this is the issue that prevents the pump from working. I had to empty and wash the bottle as I will be returning it. Most disappointed.

7/24/2022

MASTERPRO MPHB8 Loaf Bakeware Pan Carbon Steel/Black

This a good quality oven tray. I don't use it for bread just to roast veggies. It is quite large, like a fifth larger than most average bread pans out there. See my photo to see the difference. Very easy to use, and it doesn't stick. It cleans super-easy, just with a bit of soapy water even when I put lots of oil in it. Great value for money.

6/25/2022

Avanti Cheese Cloth, White

I bought this to use it in my mixed media projects, so I cannot comment on how it works for cheese making or cooking.

I have used it both to create rugged textured backgrounds and elements of decoration and I'm very pleased with the results. It needs heavy gel medium to glue it to the paper. I'd say it's not the best cloth for mixed media, but it's very good nevertheless. I've uploaded a photo of a project I'm working on, which has the background made of this cloth as well as the 'nest', tinted with different ink sprays. It absorbs inks beautifully with little amount of ink used.

For the rest, it's great value for money as this is a quite large piece of cloth.

The only downside for mixed media it is that that the gaping between threads is quite large, which makes the handling of the fabric on projects a bit annoying.

For the rest, quite happy with the product.

6/07/2022

PinRui Silicone Baking Mat,60 x 40cm

This is the third product I buy to use as craft mat on my table and I finally got what I was looking for. As my craft is painting and collage, I need something that can protect my table and it's easy to clean from any painting, medium, gesso or craft paste so that it doesn't look crappy when I'm not working on it. This mat fits the bill.

This silicone mat has a velvety touchy surface, it is super easy to clean with a simple antibacterial or household wipe, and it can be removed or folded when not needed. It doesn't bend, slide or wrinkle when I work on it. I placed my laptop on it just to see how the silicone reacts to the heat, and the surface wasn't affected. The black colour makes it perfect for my studio minimalist decor and neutral tones.

This mat comes with a carry bag perfect to fold it and put it away when necessary. For the sizing, see the mat against my cutting mat. As I use it very often, I might update this review if I find any noticeable downfall. So far, I'm very pleased.

4/10/2022

Lehom Silicone Stretch Lids 6 Pack Bowl Covers

I bought this set as I was using e a lot of plastic film and I'm environmentally conscious. This set is great value for money, good quality silicone and it comes in a good selection of sizes. the material stretches easily over round, square and rectangular containers and doesn't deform. Each piece has some sort of handless or tabs that help with the stretching, which is really handy. They clean easily and I can throw them anywhere as they're flat and flexible so they can be fit in very small spaces.

I don't particularly like the colour as it prevents me from seeing what's in the container. Also, I think that the two larger lids are too close in size, and I would have loved a bigger difference in sizes between these two.

For the rest, very happy with my purchase.

3/19/2022

Nouveau Strawberry Garden Paper Napkins

These paper napkins are just beautiful. Three-ply quality tissue paper, great quality printing and stunning colours. I use them for decoupage to create focal points, using different part of the imagery, but they will certainly impress my guests. Perfect for fancy picnics, high tea, Summer Xmas and any special summer/spring special occasion.A bit pricey, but totally worth it.

3/07/2022

Ezonedeal Fridge Drawer Organizer

This fridge container and organiser is made of durable plastic, it has ventilation slots on the base,. It can be easily placed on a fridge tray and stays in place without moving or falling. Good for small pieces of fruit or snack veggies. As you can see in my photos, I put some small pieces of fruit in it, which is sort of bulky and heavy, and the container stands it without trouble.

However, this is a small container (see my photo beside an A5 notebook) and the handles are bulky so it bulks up the tray it holds onto, and you'll have to mind which sort of container you place on that tray. So, in a way, it adds storage space on the hanging part, but it reduces storage space on the tray it hangs from.

Expensive for what it is.

UPDATE 8/5/22
The basket slides out and falls on the floor when I get any container placed on it out of the fridge. This is so because the two handle grips are too wide for my fridge trays. This being the case, the product has become a nuisance instead of what an organiser is is or intended to be.

2/27/2022

Suneke Blue & White Porcelain Paper Napkins, 20 Count (33×33cm)

These are artistic good quality paper napkins, They're quite large, have two layers and are true to the product photos. Perfect for fancy picnics, high tea or to use them when you have visitors. I use them mostly for decoupage, as a cluster image (by selecting one of the printed areas) or as background for some of my mix media collages. Pricey, but I'm very much in love with these. The back layer is easy to peal off. I specially like the blue and white bird item, but all of the ones I have purchased are fabulous and mini artistic pieces on their own.

Zelten Hedgehog Sloth Paper Napkins, 20 Count (33×33cm)

These are artistic good quality paper napkins. They're quite large, have two layers of tissue paper and the prints are good quality. They're perfect to impress your guests. I use them mostly for decoupage, as visual element accents in my mix-media collages, or as background piece for some of them. The Amazon-themed napkins are just stunning.

12/30/2021

Dehub Ice-Cream Popsicle silicone Moulds Set of 8

Very good quality flexible kitchen silicone lollipop molds in vibrant colors. The package contains 8 molds with its correspondents sticks, plus an extra spare stick. The first impression is that these would be a bit too wobbly to hold anything upright in the fridge. However, after using them, there is no issue, whether the mold is empty or full. They do what they're supposed to do. As the silicone is flexible, it's super-easy to remove the ice-cream from the mold by putting each individual mold under running warm water for like 5 seconds, and the ice-cream comes up in one piece and very easily. The sticks don't break or deform with use. Super-easy to clean, too.